The Jack Rabbit Chess Report: By the Zee, by the Zee, by the beautiful Zee

[Jack Rabbit]

Having a new hard drive means that the JRCR is back in business.



The annual Corus Chess Tournament, one of the three or four most prestigious events on the chess calendar nowadays, began over the weekend in the Dutch resort town of Wijk aan Zee.

The tournament is divided into three groups. Group A consists of some the world's strongest grandmasters, including newly crowned world champion Vishy Anand of India. Anand got off to a slow start by losing his first round game to Dutch grandmaster Loek van Wely. Leading after four rounds are 17-year-old Norwegian GM Magnus Carlsen and Levon Aronian of Armenia with 3 points each. Carlsen and Aronian played each other today and drew in 36 moves. All games in yesterday's third round were drawn, but today van Wely scored his second win against former FIDE world champion Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria, former world champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia defeated Ukraine's Pavel Eljanov and the first lady of chess, Hungarian GM Judit Polgar, won her game from the Black side of the board against Boris Gelfand of Israel.

The most exciting chess so far has been played in Group B. Indian GM Pentala Harikrishna moved into a three-way tie for first with a victory today over Wouter Spoelman, an international master from Holland. Tied with Harikrishna at points each are Spoelman's compatriot, grandmaster Jan Smeets, and GM Etienne Bacrot of France.

After four rounds, Group C boasts the only tournament participant with a perfect score, German IM Arik Braun. Herr Braun has only a half-point over the 15-year-old Italian national champion Fabiano Caruana. Also participating in the C Group is the US national women's champion, Irina Krush.

The following is a short and to-the-point game from the third round in Group B. Hou Yifan will turn 14 next month. After the game, Nigel Short, once almost world champion, quipped about how it felt to lose to some one three years younger than his daughter.




Hou Yifan
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)

Hou Yifan - Nigel Short
Corus Chess Tournament, Group B, Round 3
Wijk aan Zee, 14 January 2008

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Gothic Defense (Berlin Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Be7 6.Qe2 Nd6 7.Bxc6 bxc6 8.dxe5 Nb7 9.c4

• After the more common 9.Nc3 0-0 10.Re1 Nc5 11.Be3 Ne6 12.Rad1 d5 13.exd6 cxd6 14.Nd4 Nxd4 15.Bxd4 the game is even.

9...0-0 10.Nc3 Re8!?

• Black introduces the game's novelty.
• Black's safest move is 10...f6 after which 11.Be3 fxe5 12.Nxe5 Bf6 13.f4 Qe8 14.Qd2 d6 15.Nf3 Bf5 is equal (Matulovic-Gipslis, Intrz, Sousse, 1967);
• More adventuresome is 10...Nc5 but after 11.Be3 Ne6 12.Rad1 f6 13.Nd4 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 fxe5 15.Qxe5 White has a fine position (Petrosian-Ivkov, Match Tournament of Three Capitals, Moscow 1978).

11.Rd1 Bf8 12.Bg5 f6 13.Bh4 g5 14.Bg3 d6 15.Ne4 Bg4?

• The only move is 15...fxe5. Black's game now deteriorates rapidly.
• If 15...fxe5 then:
• If 16.Nfxg5 then:
• If 16...h6 17.Nf3 Bg7 18.Bh4 Qd7 19.Bf6 Qf7 20.Bxg7 Kxg7 21.Nfd2 is equal in that White has more space and superior King safety, but Black has more room to maneuver on the kingside;
• Else 16...Bf5 17.Qf3 Bxe4 18.Nxe4 Bg7 19.Rac1 Rf8 20.Qe3 gives White a minute edge in space;
• Otherwise, if 15...Bf5?! 16.Nd4 Bxe4 17.Qxe4 fxe5 18.Nxc6 then:
• If 18...Qc8 then:
• After 19.Qe3 Bh6 20.Nxa7 Qe6 21.Nb5 Qxc4 22.Nc3 White will expel the Black Queen from c4, leaving her with more space;
• If 18...Qd7? 19.Nxe5 then:
• If 19...Qf7 20.Qxb7 dxe5 21.Bxe5 Qxc4 22.b3 gives White an extra pawn;
• Else 19...Qc8 leaves Black fighting for his life after 20.Qd5+ Kg7 21.Nc6.

BLACK: Nigel Short
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WHITE: Hou Yifan

16.exf6!

• With an advatage in space, White opens the position to her benefit.
• White lets Black off the hook with 16.h3 when:
• 16...Bh5! 17.Qe3 Bg7 18.exf6 Bxf6 19.Rd2 Bg7 20.Nd4 is good for equality;
• However, 16...Bxf3? 17.Qxf3 fxe5 18.Nf6+ gives White a winning game.

16...Bh5 17.Qe3 Bh6 18.Ne5 Rxe5 19.Bxe5!

• The young lady polishes off the game with a neat exchange sac.

19...Bxd1 20.Rxd1 Qe8 21.Bc3 Nd8 22.f7+ Qxf7 23.Nf6+ 1-0

• After 23...Kf8 24.Re1 then:
• After 24...Nb7 25.Qh3 Bg7 26.Nxh7+ Kg8 27.Nxg5 White has a two-pawn advantage and an irresistable attack on Black's King;
• Otherwise, 24...Ne6 25.Qh3 Bg7 26.Rxe6 leaves White a piece to the good.
• Mr. Short resigns.